Mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses

ABSTRACT

A first mounting device has a top plate vertically adjustable in parallel relation to a bottom plate, and a support bracket parallelly adjustable therebetween with means thereon for engaging a dentist&#39;&#39;s jaw model on the occlusion plane thereof, whereby hardenable material may be poured between the model and the top and bottom plates to provide two working surfaces on the model. A second mounting device having a bottom plate and a top plate guided in parallel therewith and adjustable in the vertical plane receives the working surfaces of the model therebetween. However, an auxilliary alignable device insertable on the second mounting device in place of the top plate, and having an alignable vertically disposed blade-like alignment member at the front thereof with notches at either end for engaging the model, is first used to align the vertical symmetry axis of the model on the base plate whereby a screw-threaded ring can be secured to the model in alignment. Thereafter the ring secures the model to the base plate with a mating nut, with the ring engaging a key in an aperture through the base plate so the model is always in proper alignment for insertion of the teeth in the wax layer thereon.

United States Patent [1 1 Winkler [451 Aug. 13, 1974 MOUNTING DEVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DENTAL PROSTHESES Horst Guenther Winkler, Hauptstrasse 15, 8722 Wiebelsberg, Germany 22 Filed: Sept. 22, 1972 211 App]. No.: 291,364

[76] Inventor:

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Primary Examiner-Robert Peshock Attorney, Agent, or Firm--Brady, OBoyle & Gates 571 I ABSTRACT A first mounting device has a top plate vertically adjustable in parallel relation to a bottom plate, and a support bracket parallelly adjustable therebetween with means thereon for engaging a dentists jaw model on the occlusion plane thereof, whereby hardenable material may be poured between the model and the top and bottom plates to provide two working surfaces on the model. A second mounting device having a bottom plate and a top plate guided in parallel therewith and adjustable in the vertical plane receives the working surfaces of the model therebetween. However, an auxilliary alignable device insertable on the second mounting device in place of the top plate, and having an alignable vertically disposed blade-like alignment member at the front thereof with notches at either end for engaging the model, is first used to align the vertical symmetry axis of the model on the base plate whereby a screw-threaded ring can be secured to the model in alignment. Thereafter the ring secures the model to the base plate with a mating nut, with the ring engaging a key in an aperture through the base plate so the model is always in proper alignment for insertion of the teeth in the wax layer thereon.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PAIENIED MB 31974 3.828.433

sum 1 OF 3 PAIENIED MIBI 3.8289433 SHEET 2 [IF 3 MOUNTING DEVICE FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF DENTAL PROSTHESES This invention relates to a mounting device for use in the manufacture of dental prostheses, which results in a great saving of time in the manufacture of functional dental prostheses without the operator of the device having to have voluminous special knowledge.

The conventional devices of this type known in the prior art require the operator to perform a number of preliminary steps which consume a large amount of time and, if the work is not executed extremely accurately by the operator, a satisfactory fit of the completed prosthesis is not obtained.

This invention is based on the objective of providing a construction of mounting devices and auxiliary devics used therewith which enables the person or operator utilizing the same to produce a statically balanced dental prosthesis, without the operator having to have a voluminous scientific knowledge of how to produce such an accurately aligned prosthesis, and the mounting device of the invention enables such an operator to produce such a dental prosthesis in a relatively short period of time.

This objective is attained, in accordance with the invention, by providing a base frame with a base plate and a vertically adjustable, detachable adjusting plate, which latter is disposed in parallel relation above the base plate and can be swung upwardly in the backward direction about the base frame. Both plates are provided with central openings superimposed perpendicularly to the base plate, and each opening has a key projecting toward the interior thereof for the alignment of short, hollow cylindrical members inserted through the openings, with projections overhanging toward the inside and toward the outside on one end to retain them in the openings, as well as a wide annular nut which fits on a mating thread on the other end of the hollow cylindrical member and holds the cylindrical member or ring in a quite specific position with respect to the base plate and adjusting plate, and to a cap-shaped element on an auxiliary alignment device when the adjustingplate is removed from the mounting device and the auxiliary alignment device is mounted in its place. The cap-shaped element comprises an alignment device adjustably fitting onto a guide means in the supporting member thereof, and carries at its front end a detachable stop bar for aligning the vertical plane of symmetry of the jaw model for the prostheses on the mounting device.

A separate device for providing flat working surfaces on the jaw models provided by the dentist, is used in conjunction with the mounting device. This device has a U-shaped bracket vertically adjustably connected on a guide means of a flat base plate and arranged between the base plate and a vertically adjustable top plate which are mutually parallel. The U-shaped bracket has longitudinal slots in both legs and respectively a pair of support bars with longitudinal slots, which support bars are adjustably supported on each one of the legs by means of a screw with a knurled nut in any desired position at the leg, which position, however, is parallel to the base plate. The support bars are provided on their free ends which turn arcuately inwardly, with at least two pins or prongs each disposed in parallel to each other and with respect to the base plate, which are adapted to engage the wax layer of the dentists model along the occlusion plane thereof so that hardenable material may be placed between the dentists model and the topside of the base plate and the underside of the the top plate to provide two working surfaces on the model so the model can be inserted in the main mounting device.

The drawings represent a mounting device and auxiliary devices used therewith according to this invention by way of an example, in which:

FIG. 1 shows the two forms of a patients mouth of rapidly hardening synthetic resin supplied by the dentist, which accurately fit on the jaw ridges of the patients mouth and are held, by an interposed layer of wax, in exactly the same spacing and position occupied when the patient has his jaws in the occlusion position. Furthermore, a wax strip which is recommended as a preparatory measure for using the mounting device of this invention is disposed on the left-hand and on the right-hand sides of the line of symmetry;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of an auxiliary device for use with the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4 for determining the occlusion plane;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the mounting device of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical section view of an insert ring for the apertured plates of FIGS. 3 and 4, whereinthe completed formed model from the patients jaw adapted to be connected thereto by means of adhesive, is held in a quite specific position and height with respect to the base plate; and v FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively a side elevation view and a top plan view of a simplified embodiment of the device according to the present invention, and to be used with the apparatus of FIGS. 3 and 4, primarily for providing the formed model supplied by the dentist with two operating planes parallel to the bite plane, in a conventional manner.

The mounting device of the invention as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 consists of a base plate 1, the laterally extending cylindrical pins 2 (FIG. 3) of which extend into a frame .5 and are locked therein by means of a releasable eccentric lock shaft 3 operable by a pivot handle 4. A U-shaped bracket 6 is rotatably mounted by means of screws 7, 8 at the upper end of the frame 5 and can be pivoted upwardly toward the rear of the frame about the screws 7, 8 until it comes to rest against stop projections 9, 10. The central portion of the U-shaped bracket 6, opposite the pivot connection, in turn, receives two laterally extending pins l1, 12 (FIG. 3) of a guide section 13; the latter is also provided with a central longitudinal groove 14, and with a strap clamp 15 having a setscrew 16 for adjustably retaining two parallel rods 17 of an adjusting plate 18 in the clamp. A lug 19 on one of the narrow sides of the adjusting plate 18 is slidably engaged in groove 14 and ensures that the adjusting plate 18 is always in parallel relation to the base plate 1, independently of its respective incidental adjusted level with respect to this base plate. An adjustable supporting rod 24 on the opposite narrow side of the adjusting plate 18, which rod can be adjusted to and held at any desired height by means of a setscrew 25, serves for holding the adjusting plate exactly in parallel with regard to the base plate 1 even in case of a heavy load on plate 18.

Respectively one opening 26 is provided approximately in the center of the base plate 1 and of the adjusting plate 18; this opening is provided on one side of the respective plate with an annular bead 27 projecting beyond the surface of the plate, and the plate also includes a key 28 extending into the opening, In the illustrated operating position, both openings of the base plate 1 and the adjusting plate 18 are registered or disposed coaxial to each other.

Short hollow cylindrical members 29 fit into the central openings 26 of plates 1 and 18. These cylindrical members have, at one end, inwardly projecting extensions 30, outwardly projecting cross webs or flanges 31 and a longitudinal keyway for receiving the protruding key 28, and at the other end a mating thread 32 for the attachment of an annular nut 33. In use the webs 31 are disposed on one side of the central opening, top of plate 1 and bottom of plate 18, while the nut 33 is disposed on the opposite side of the opening.

Referring to the auxiliary alignment device of FIG. 2, two parallel rods 34 extending upwardly from supporting block 35 fit into the strap clamp 15 of the guide section 13 of the ounting device of FIG. 3, when the adjusting plate and its adjusting rods 17 are removed from the device and from engagement with the strap clamp. The supporting block has a lug 36 extending from one end thereof which can engage the groove 14 of the guide section 13 and has, on the opposite end, two horizontal bores for receiving pins 37 of a cap-shaped element 38; the latter can be held at any desired distance from the rods 34 by telescoping pins 37 in or out of the horizontal bores the desired distance and clamping the pins in the selected position with a pressure screw 40 through a clamping plate 39. The cap-shaped element 38 has, disposed in parallel to the pins 37, a longitudinal slot with a central cylindrical recess 41, holding a rod 42 with an annular thickened portion in the center and with a stop bar or abutment strip 43, the correct adjusted position of stop bar or adjustment strip 43 and rod 42 relative to element 38 being secured by a knurled nut 44. Stop bar 43 is provided with a forwardly facing arcuate blade-like front edge positioned in the vertical plane with notched portions 65 and 66 at the lower and upper ends, the purpose of which will become apparent to one skilled in the art, later in the descripton. The stop bar 43 is reversible so that either the notch 65 or 66 is at the bottom, or vice versa.

In order to provide the models or forms of the patients mouth of FIG. 1, supplied by the dentist, with the required surfaces in parallel to the occlusion plane 45, the device described herein could be utilized without any difficulties. However, since this work can also be executed without the use of a frame 5 and without the foldable guide section 13 as previously described,- it is advantageous to employ for this purpose, in place of a second device which is often necessary anyway, a simplified embodiment of a mounting device according to the invention, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this embodiment of the mounting device, a base plate 46 is provided with two mutually parallel rods 46' extending upwardly therefrom, the base plate having a somewhat wider arrangement and without the central bore as in the previous form. Furthermore an adjusting plate 47 with a strap clamp 48 thereon, similar to the aforedescribed strap clamp 15, as well as a clamping screw 49 for retaining a supporting rod 50 in a selected position, is arranged to be selectively adjustable to a desired height on rods 46' and clamped in that position by clamp 48. Plate 47 also has no central opening as in the prior disclosure. Between the plates 46 and 47, a U- shaped bracket 51 is additionally provided, the side legs of which have longitudinal adjusting slots 52, 53 and hold, by means of knurled nuts 54 and 55 adjustably connected in these slots, support bars 56 and 57 which have longitudinal width adjusting slots 58 and 59 therein in operative connection with nuts 54 and 55 such that the prong tips 60 on the ends of support bars 56 and 57 which extend parallel thereto, are adapted to be placed in any desired position. The patients mouth forms of FIG. 1 are engaged by and held between the prong tips 60. The bracket 51 is, in turn, vertically adjustable and is held by a strap clamp 61 at any desired level along rods 46 with respect to the base plate 46 and in parallel relation thereto.

In order to prepare the models or forms supplied by the dentist, as shown in FIG. 1, for using a mounting device according to this invention, it is merely necessary to apply respective one wax bar 63, 64 in parallel to the occlusion or bite plane 45 and on the left-hand and right-hand sides of the line of symmetry 62 of the forms, or to make a cut in the interposed layer of wax in the forms and secure the latter by the prong tips 60 of the bracket 51 in such a manner that the occlusion plane 45 is disposed in parallel to the prong tips 60 and- /or to the plate 46 or 47. Now, by filling the spaces remaining between the prepared dentists model and the topside of the base plate 46, as well as the underside of the adjusting plate 47 with plaster of Paris or any other suitable material, the two working surfaces for the supplied dentists models of the lower jaw and the upper jaw are effortlessly obtained.

Now, the thus-obtained model of the lower jaw is taken from the device of FIG. 6 and is placed on the base plate 1 of the mounting device of FIG. 3. The adjusting plate 18 is removed and the alignment device of FIG. 2 is mounted on the mounting device of FIG. 3. The model is placed in such a manner that the lines of symmetry 62 on the front of the model align and coincide with the blade-like front edge of the stop bar 43. The notch 65 in the lower end of the stop bar in FIG. 2 is intended for use on a dental prosthesis which still has front teeth present therein, and jhe notch 66 in the upper end is for use on a prosthesis without any front teeth present thereon, so the stop bar is turned around so the proper notch 65 or 66 is engaging the model. Thereupon, by means of a rapidly hardening filling cement or also by means of plaster of Paris, the model is connected with the flange 31 of a ring 29 according to FIG. 5, which has previously been inserted in aperture 26 of base plate 1 with the flange side 31 facing upwardly, so that the plaster model can be attached at any time to the base plate 1 by a corresponding nut 33, or can also be temporarily removed therefrom. Thereafter, the rod 42 of stop bar 43 is detached from the capshaped element 38, since the aligning function is completed, and the latter, if necessary, is adjusted by rods 34 in clamp 15 to such a lower level that it can be utilized as the guide surface for the contour of the masticatory surface when inserting the teeth which are missing in the patient.

After arranging the teeth in the wax layer of the model for the prosthetis of the lower jaw, the upper row of molars is aligned with respect to the inclination of the masticatory surface of the lower row of molars, wherein the position of the upper jaw model isfixedly determined by the bite pattern according to FIG. 1 in relation to the lower jaw model and secured by means of adhesive and a ring 29, 31 in the upper model adjusting plate support 18 after the aligning device of FIG. 2 is removed from clamp and the adjusting plate 18 is connected into clamp 15 by its rods 17.

The terms and expressions which have been employed herein are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed.

I claim:

1. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses from a jaw model, comprising a base frame with a base plate, an adjustable top plate disposed in parallel above said base plate, bracket means pivotally connecting said top plate to said base frame whereby said top plate can be swung upwardly in the backward direction, means detachably connecting said top plate to said bracket means and connecting said top plate for vertical adjustable movement relative to said base plate, both said top and base plates provided with central openings therethrough superimposed in registration, key means on each of said plates projecting toward the interior of the respective central opening, short ring members with flanges on one end thereof adapted for insertion through the central openings and having means engaging said key means, the flanges on said ring members adapted to engage said plates about the periphery of said central openings and adapted for connection with a jaw model, said ring members having thread means on the other ends thereof, an annular nut with a mating thread means for each ring member adapted to engage the thread means on the ring members to hold them in a specific position with respect to i said top and base plates, a separate mounting device for a use in preparing a jaw model for said first mentioned mounting device, comprising a base plate member, guide means extending upwardly at right angles from said base plate member, a top plate member disposed parallel with said base plate member, clamping means on said top plate member engaged with said guide means whereby said top plate member is vertically adjustable in parallel relation relative to said base plate member, a U-shaped bracket, a connecting member connected to said U-shaped bracket and said guide means between said base plate member and said top plate member to adjustably guide the U-shaped bracket in parallel relation therebetween, said U-shaped bracket having longitudinal adjusting slots in both legs of the U-shape, a separate holding bar means with a longitudinal slot therein positioned in at least partial registration with the slot in the respective leg of the U- shaped bracket, screw means with cooperating nuts connected through said at least partially registered slots to connect said holding bar means to the legs of the U- shaped bracket for adjustment to any desired position at the legs in parallel to said base plate member, said holding bars having free ends turned inwardly and adjusted for arcuate movement inwardly of said U-shaped bracket, and at least a pair of jaw model engaging points on the free end of each holding bar.

2. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1 in which said pair of points on each holding bar are disposed parallel to each other and with respect to said base plate member, and the pairs of points on opposite holding bars disposed opposite each other and adapted to hold a jaw model therebetween.

3. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1 in which said guide means comprise at least two mutually parallel guide rods, and a support rod adjustably connected at right angles to said top plate member opposite said clamping means and extending into contact with said base plate member for maintaining said top plate member parallel therewith.

4. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses from a jaw model, comprising a base frame with a base plate, an adjustable top plate disposed in parallel above said base plate, bracket means pivotally connecting said top plate to said base frame whereby said top plate can be swung upwardly in the backward direction, means detachably connecting said top plate to said bracket means and connecting said top plate for vertical adjustable movement relative to said base plate, both said top and base plates provided with central openings therethrough superimposed in registration, key means on each of said plates projecting toward the interior of the respective central opening, short ring members with flanges on one end thereof adapted for insertion through the central openings and having means engaging said key means, the flanges on said ring members adapted to engage said plates about the periphery of said central openings and adapted for connection with a jaw model, said ring members having thread means on the other ends thereof, an annular nut with a mating thread means for each ring member adapted to engage the thread means on the ring members to hold them in a specific position with respect to said top and base plates, a cap-shaped element corresponding to the plane of occlusion, detachable support means connected with said cap-shaped element and adapted to selectively detachably connect said capshaped element to said bracket in place of said means detachably connecting said top plate thereto and connected to selectively vertically adjust said cap-shaped element in planes parallel to said base plate, a stop bar detachably connected to the end of said cap-shaped element away from said detachable support means for aligning the plate of symmetry of the jaw model on said base plate, said stop bar arranged in the vertical plane with opposite free ends, and stop notches of different configuration in the opposite free ends thereof with said different stop notches for prostheses with and without front teeth therein, and said stop bar adapted to be turned around at its detachable connection to said cap-shaped element to position the selected stop notch toward said base plate.

5. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1, in which said stop bar has a knife-like vertical edge positioned outwardly of said cap-shaped element.

6. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 5,,in which said knifelike vertical edge is arcuate in shape in the vertical plane. 

1. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses from a jaw model, comprising a base frame with a base plate, an adjustable top plate disposed in parallel above said base plate, bracket means pivotally connecting said top plate to said base frame whereby said top plate can be swung upwardly in the backward direction, means detachably connecting said top plate to said bracket means and connecting said top plate for vertical adjustable movement relative to said base plate, both said top and base plates provided with central openings therethrough superimposed in registration, key means on each of said plates projecting toward the interior of the respective central opening, short ring members with flanges on one end thereof adapted for insertion through the central openings and having means engaging said key means, the flanges on said ring members adapted to engage said plates about the periphery of said central openings and adapted for connection with a jaw model, said ring members having thread means on the other ends thereof, an annular nut with a mating thread means for each ring member adapted to engage the thread means on the ring members to hold them in a specific position with respect to said top and base plates, a separate mounting device for use in preparing a jaw model for said first mentioned mounting device, comprising a base plate member, guide means extending upwardly at right angles from said base plate member, a top plate member disposed parallel with said base plate member, clamping means on said top plate member engaged with said guide means whereby said top plate member is vertically adjustable in parallel relation relative to said base plate member, a U-shaped bracket, a connecting member connected to said U-shaped bracket and said guide means between said base plate member and said top plate member to adjustably guide the U-shaped bracket in parallel relation therebetween, said U-shaped bracket having longitudinal adjusting slots in both legs of the U-shape, a separate holding bar means with a longitudinal slot therein positioned in at least partial registration with the slot in the respective leg of the U-shaped bracket, screw means with cooperating nuts connected through said at least partially registered slots to connect said holding bar means to the legs of the U-shaped bracket for adjustment to any desired position at the legs in parallel to said base plate member, said holding bars having free ends turned inwardly and adjusted for arcuate movement inwardly of said U-shaped bracket, and at least a pair of jaw model engaging points on the free end of each holding bar.
 2. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1 in which said pair of points on each holding bar are disposed parallel to each other and with respect to said base plate member, and the pairs of points on opposite holding bars disposed opposite each other and adapted to hold a jaw model therebetween.
 3. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1 in which said guide means comprise at least two mutually parallel guide rods, and a support rod adjustably connected at right angles to said top plate member opposite said clamping means and extending into contact with said base plate member for maintaining said top plate member parallel therewith.
 4. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses from a jaw model, comprising a base frame with a base plate, an adjustable top plate disposed in parallel above said base plate, bracket means pivotally connecting said top plate to said base frame whereby said top plate can be swung upwardly in the backward direction, means detachably connecting said Top plate to said bracket means and connecting said top plate for vertical adjustable movement relative to said base plate, both said top and base plates provided with central openings therethrough superimposed in registration, key means on each of said plates projecting toward the interior of the respective central opening, short ring members with flanges on one end thereof adapted for insertion through the central openings and having means engaging said key means, the flanges on said ring members adapted to engage said plates about the periphery of said central openings and adapted for connection with a jaw model, said ring members having thread means on the other ends thereof, an annular nut with a mating thread means for each ring member adapted to engage the thread means on the ring members to hold them in a specific position with respect to said top and base plates, a cap-shaped element corresponding to the plane of occlusion, detachable support means connected with said cap-shaped element and adapted to selectively detachably connect said cap-shaped element to said bracket in place of said means detachably connecting said top plate thereto and connected to selectively vertically adjust said cap-shaped element in planes parallel to said base plate, a stop bar detachably connected to the end of said cap-shaped element away from said detachable support means for aligning the plate of symmetry of the jaw model on said base plate, said stop bar arranged in the vertical plane with opposite free ends, and stop notches of different configuration in the opposite free ends thereof with said different stop notches for prostheses with and without front teeth therein, and said stop bar adapted to be turned around at its detachable connection to said cap-shaped element to position the selected stop notch toward said base plate.
 5. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 1, in which said stop bar has a knife-like vertical edge positioned outwardly of said cap-shaped element.
 6. A mounting device for the manufacture of dental prostheses as set forth in claim 5, in which said knife-like vertical edge is arcuate in shape in the vertical plane. 